Rostov-on-Don is a sea city. This truth does not require proof for a long time. Port, shipping and crewing companies, educational institutions … One more organization has recently been added to the number of organizations related to the sea.

At the intersection of the noisy highways of Krasnoarmeyskaya Street and Teatralny Prospekt, between the columns of the first floor of a gray high-rise building, attention is suddenly drawn to a sign with the image of a fit sailor on the ship’s bridge. An ideal bearing, a firm gaze – you can immediately see a person who can lead the crew – the captain, or the flagship. It houses the Flagman Training Center.

 

 

“ Our center opened quite recently, in 2017, ” says Dmitry Alekseevich Savchenko, director of the Flagman training center. – It has a specific purpose: both beginners who have decided to connect their lives with the sea and already established professionals, those who have a variety of maritime professions, carry out training here. A modern ship is a very complex complex of structures and equipment that must be operated by experienced specialists.

 

Our instructors still remember the times when the training of a sailor ended with graduation from an educational institution. Further – independent training and ship drills. But new equipment, new systems, new means of rescue appear and, accordingly, new requirements for the competence of seafarers. And the increase in the rate of cargo traffic, the load on the crews leaves the captain less and less opportunity to stop the ship in the middle of the ocean and check how skillfully the crew will lower the boat, prepare a liferaft or provide medical assistance. The International Maritime Organization’s 1978 Convention on the Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers required preparation in advance, ashore. According to this convention, every seaman, from an ordinary seaman to a captain, is obliged to undergo a wide variety of retraining every five years and to confirm this with international certificates. Help seafarers prove their qualifications – the task of the “Flagman” training center.

A variety of equipment is installed in the classrooms of the center. One complex reflects an exact copy of the navigation bridge equipment for controlling and maneuvering the vessel – radar, automation, electronic map, steering, the surrounding navigation situation is displayed on the screens. In another class, you can calculate and carry out loading, unloading of a tanker, chemical carrier or gas carrier. From behind the door of the third one can hear the muffled rumbling of the ship’s power plant (machine) – mechanics are trained here. At the service of those who wish are computer tests of the “Delta” complex, which is used everywhere to test the knowledge of seafarers.

 

 

“ Yes, we are trying, as far as possible, to saturate the classrooms with modern equipment,” continues Dmitry Alekseevich Savchenko. “But what can equipment do without people? We have the right to be proud of the instructors who teach the simulators .

 

Georgy Nikolaevich Kalinichenko devoted more than forty years to the sea. He went from a sailor to a captain. When he started, the navigation equipment was a compass, and a weak radar, and even then not on every ship. And by the end of the work at sea, electronic charts with an automatic navigation laying system, automatic vessel identification units, a Global Maritime Communication and Security system have already appeared. Today Georgy Nikolayevich transfers all the accumulated experience to the audience.

 

Yuri Mikhailovich Vostrikov also began his career at sea. Then he worked in an educational institution. Center “Flagman” attracted him by the possibility of search, experiment. The work of an instructor is not only teaching, training students, but also the development of new programs, teaching methods. During the time that Yuri Mikhailovich has been working at Flagman, he has developed unique developments that help to improve the level of training of students.

 

Alexander Anatolyevich Drobyazko began his career at the fishing vessels of the Novorossiyskrybprom association. In the nineties, when large enterprises collapsed overnight, he had to change his specialization – he worked on ships of the “river-sea” class, on bulk carriers, chemical carriers, oil tankers. “Perhaps, I didn’t have a chance to work only on passenger ships. Ro-ro? Well, if you remember how sailors bought and transported cars, – Alexander Anatolyevich laughs it off, – the experience of transporting wheeled vehicles is also available ”. This means that there is something to share with the audience.

 

Progress and the desire of shipowners to save money have “eaten” such a position as a ship’s doctor. But anything happens at sea, and a sailor must be able to provide first aid, take care of the injured before coming to port. To teach these responsibilities, the training centers invite ordinary doctors. Our classes are conducted by the deputy director for educational and methodological work Sergey Pavlovich Shemet – a military doctor, an officer with rich combat experience. After being retired, Sergei Pavlovich worked in various educational institutions, he has extensive experience in educational and methodological work, which helps to maintain the documentation at the proper level.

In addition to full-time instructors, we also employ those who still continue to go to sea. Returning home, they bring fresh information about the changes taking place in maritime practice around the world.

Classrooms, computer simulators provide an opportunity to practice various skills in conditions as close as possible to real ones. But on a computer you cannot teach how to put on a wetsuit correctly, to leave a sinking ship, to fight fire. For this purpose, a training ground was built on the third line, where there is a deep (three and a half meters) pool, life rafts, a crane-beam with a speedboat on duty, a motorboat boat on davits, other ship equipment, as well as simulators, with maximum reality reproducing emergency situations on board.

The landfill on the 3rd line was built in September last year, it took several more months to eliminate the comments and hand over the facility to the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, which strictly supervises us. The handover took place on November 14, since then classes at the training ground have been held regularly. The head of the landfill is Mikhail Nikolaevich Lapin, an experienced chief executive officer. Its task is to keep inventory and equipment in constant readiness. Classes are conducted by instructors (experienced sailors) Alexander Sergeevich Lavrushin and Alexey Arkhipovich Pryanikov.

Put on a wetsuit or firefighter equipment, enter the water correctly, overcome a smoky labyrinth – everything that can save lives in a critical situation will be taught by our specialists.

In addition to the instructor staff, it is necessary to highlight the employees who coordinate the educational process and are the connecting link in the organization of practical and theoretical training.

Elena Yurievna Yuzhanina has been working at the Flagship Training Center practically from the very first days of the center’s opening. It is she who will greet you warmly, competently advise on all types of preparations. Elena Yurievna always works with a creative approach and loves her job very much.

Of course, it is worth noting the work and vigorous activity of the Deputy Director Olga Alexandrovna Shelamova. A competent, professional, interested employee – a lot is based on her – this is what the flagship management says about her.

The Training and Training Center turned out to be in great demand since our region has long been rich in sailors. There are seaport, sea establishments, seaport administration – therefore there are enough people who need training. Moreover, people from other regions of Russia also go to study – yes, this is about 15-18% of the main stream, but still it is very pleasant that people choose our training center. In 2019, we have greatly increased our pool of customers from shipping and crewing companies. We have regular customers from among the leaders of the world shipping, who send seamen for training to us on principle, regardless of where the seaman lives in Russia. This is also worth a lot.

We look forward with confidence, as we do the right thing , says Dmitry Alekseevich. The TTC Strategy for the next 3 years has been developed, strategic goals have been developed, the center is growing, it selects and trains its personnel, which grows with the organization.